CAN YOU KEEP A GRIP?

When I was a teenager we used to have this silly game. We would try to burn the whole match and if successful we would crush it with the edge of our hands. If everything worked as we hoped, when you parted your hands half of the burned match would be on the end of each hand. This indicated in local mythology that you were really in love. No one else I've ever talked about it with had done it. it was local to where I grew up. 

THERE’S A METAPHOR IN HERE, SOMEWHERE…

Take a match

from any box you care

strike it boldly

Can you keep a grip

and not singe your fingers

as the wood burns away?

I can tell you how

keep the flame upright

so the head is first consumed

Hold the burnt remains

Invert

and hope the structure holds

When all is charcoal

lick the edge of your hand

stick the skeleton with your spit

Join your hands

edge to edge

and press as hard as you can

open and a verdict will be revealed

If it parts in two perfect halves

then you my friend

are truly in love

This is an older poem from my second collection. It was written over twenty years ago. I think it carries the narrative, just. At readings I always explained the background before hand as I think without that you would have difficulty with it.

Here's Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera with Flames, a suitable song I think.

Until next time.